The go-to guide for activities in the greater Milwaukee area

Congrats go out to Racine’s North Beach for once again been designated as a Blue Wave beach by the Clean Beaches Coalition! The Blue Wave program — the first national environmental certification for beaches — is designed to help maintain robust, healthy and vibrant beaches.

North Beach was the first beach in Wisconsin to achieve the Blue Wave designation. It has been continuously certified since 2004.

More updates for you all! At the end of April my co-worker and I decided to go to Mitchell Park Conservatory aka the Domes in Milwaukee for a little photo excursion. The domes are amazing to visit, especially with a camera! There are three domes each with a different theme. Two of the domes have permanent showcases, a desert oasis with collections of cacti, succulents, shrubs, and arid-land plants, and a tropical jungle containing a rich diversity of plants from the rainforests of five continents. The third dome is considered a show dome which showcases a variety of themes throughout the year. When we went the show dome had lots of spring plants like tulips, primroses, and mums.

I like art. Dali’s droopy clocks, Escher’s endless staircases, that dot picture of all those people on an old-timey day at the beach… I really, truly like art. That being said, I would rather be about 100 places other than in an art museum discussing the intricacies of every little brush stroke and mysterious Mona Lisa smile. It’s safe to say that although I like art, I don’t really enjoy looking at it (for too long). Lynch me if you must, art critics. What I’m most interested in is the process. The final product is beautiful, but the path to get there is the most exciting.

Yep. There she is.

Lucky for us, we were able to get out to Racine on April 13 for their annual gET bEHIND the aRTS event. The folks over at Real Racine really know how to get me going, because this is an entire event devoted to the creation and evolution of a piece of art or performance. We had 24 locations to choose from throughout Kenosha and Racine that were teeming with people, art, snacks, and fun.

The polar vortex may have passed (or has it?!), but we’re still under a blitzkrieg of snow and negative wind chills. I often find, when speaking to people about the Midwest during winter, there’s a misunderstanding that when our gardens and farms are covered in snow, we have no access to fresh food. But fear not, intrepid travelers. Fresh fruits, meats, and vegetables are abundant­­–if you know where to look.

I don’t know about you, but when we watch Anchorman in this house, our dog totally speaks up when Ron Burgundy says “Bark twice if you’re in Milwaukee!” … … … Okay fine, so maybe he doesn’t. But regardless, we do love watching shows and movies with references to the great Cream City. Luckily for all of us, MKE scores a lot of film credits—and leaves an entire trip’s worth of landmarks in its wake. So, all you cinephiles, come along with me on a trip through Milwaukee’s video history.

You want beer (or cheese, or sausage, or a Bloody Mary…)? Milwaukee is the place to be. Check out the top five brewery tours in the city.

Historic Pabst Brewery
I know what you’re thinking: “Pabst Brewery isn’t in Milwaukee!” Well at one point it was, and the historic building is there to prove it. You may not get to tour the whole brewery, but this “historic beer tour” introduces you to Captain Pabst, shows you vintage commercials, takes you to the original tour entrance from 1844, and pours out a cold one, all for $8.

Via Wikimedia by Richie Diesterheft.

Lakefront Brewery
Have you dreamed for years of being crowned Beer Queen? Here’s your chance! For seven dollars, you not only get a free pint glass and four sample beers, but someone also becomes alcohol royalty. And, this one is right on the riverfront so you can enjoy your lager on the water. This is one of the top 5 brewery tours in the country, so buy your tickets early online.

Have you heard tale
of the Pfister Hotel?
Where ghosts and ghouls play
and ball players stay.
Visiting teams while in town
have reported more than one
spooky sound.
Do the ghosts still moan and beg?
Or are the players just pulling your leg?

Back in June, Stacey Pressman of ESPN the Magazine reported that some baseball players were spooked while staying at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee. The Nationals’ Bryce Harper claims “that table at the foot of the bed, those things in hotels that you sit on to put on your shoes” moved across the room as he slept; Michael Young of the Phillies heard footsteps; and to play it safe, Justin Upton of the Braves sleeps with the lights on when he’s there.

Apparently, however, that was not the first time such stories surfaced. In 2001, Sports Illustrated, told the story of Adrian Beltre (then with…